St. Mochta of Louth, Abbot Bishop(Mocheteus, Mochteus, Mochuta)

19 August

Died c. 534. He was born in Britain but was brought to Ireland as a
child. Saint Mochta was an important saint in Ireland, as is evident by
the number of stories that grew up around his name. He was a disciple
of Saint Patrick, who was educated and consecrated bishop in Rome by
Pope St. Leo I, but some scholars believe he was consecrated by Saint
Patrick.

When he returned to Ireland, he settled at a place in County Meath
called Kell Mor Ydan (now unknown). Local opposition led him to move
north to Louth in eastern Ireland. Louth was originally the site of a
shrine to the Celtic god Lugh. With twelve companions Saint Mochta
founded a large monastery that gained a nation wide reputation. Both
monastery and village were burned and plundered frequently by the Danes
in the period 829-968

St Mochta is claimed as the first bishop of Louth. Among the legends
that arose, he and Patrick made a pact that each would care for the
other's community after the founder's death. It is also claimed that
Mochta numbered 200 bishops among his disciples and lived to be 300
years old - a punishment because he doubted the ages of many of the
patriarchs of the Old Testament. Scholars believe that he, the last of
Patrick's disciples then alive, died at 90.

Louth, the smallest county in Ireland, covers an area of only of only
317 square miles. It runs northwards from the River Boyne to Carlingford
Lough, consisting mainly of fertile undulating country with a coastline
of wide sandy bays and occasional rocky headlands. In the north,
however, between Dundalk Bay and Carlingford Lough, is the mountainous
Cooley Peninsula. The territory now known as County Louth figures
prominently in the epic tales of ancient Ireland. It was also the scene
of important events, and many chapters of Ireland's history are
illustrated by the county's numerous relics of the past
(Benedictines,
Farmer,
Husenbeth).